Overview

• The State Department said President Donald Trump reviewed and approved the case and Secretary of State Marco Rubio executed the termination.
• Officials described the action as the first known enforcement of a ban on romantic or sexual relationships between U.S. government personnel in China and Chinese citizens.
• The restriction was introduced in late 2024 and implemented in January by then‑Ambassador Nicholas Burns as part of broader security precautions.
• An undercover O’Keefe Media Group video showed the officer admitting he hid the relationship, saying he "defied my government for love" and acknowledging she "could have been a spy."
• Spokesperson Tommy Pigott emphasized a zero‑tolerance stance toward conduct seen as risking national security, and China’s Foreign Ministry called the matter a U.S. domestic issue while rejecting smears.